Abstract

There is growing interest in the use of geochemical analyses for the evaluation of anthropogenically altered soils and other archaeological deposits. Areas of human habitation and activity tend to accumulate greater levels of soil phosphorus and trace metals. These elevated concentrations leave permanent signatures that can only be removed by erosion of the soil itself, and so phosphorus and trace metal mapping have become popular field procedures to identify areas of habitation and activity. Gridded soil samples were collected and soil phosphate and trace metal ions were extracted to identify these activity areas at the ancient Fremont site Wolf Village located in Goshen, UT. The geochemical analysis of the chemical patterns indicates possible areas of ancient activity such as food preparation, craft production, and waste. These results and techniques will be used to help locate additional activity areas for future excavation of the site as well as settlement and activity areas of ancient sites in the western US.

Degree

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

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